


The Same Mistake

by TaireBlackfeather (robinisademon)



Series: Facets Of Grindeldore [1]
Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, First Kiss, Flashbacks, Fluff, Grindeldore, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mirror of Erised, Post-Movie 2: Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, oblivious grindelwald
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-02
Updated: 2018-12-13
Packaged: 2019-09-05 20:35:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16817992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/robinisademon/pseuds/TaireBlackfeather
Summary: Gellert Grindelwald is convinced he does not love Albus Dumbledore. He was wrong once. Has he learned from his mistake?





	1. I - III

**Author's Note:**

> Not a native English speaker, blah blah, you know the story.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gellert is in denial.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has not been proof-read, cause I'm lazy.

I  
It was quite obvious, actually. It's one of those things that you don't notice until at a certain point you realise it's there, and from then on you suddenly notice it everywhere and in everything. He now notices it in the tiny gestures a lot. Maybe that's why it took him so long to finally catch on.  
The small but genuine smile that's only ever directed at him. The rambling that goes on for minutes upon minutes if he doesn't interrupt. The mischievous sparkling in his eyes, when they're up to plans that might be slightly illegal.  
But mostly, he notices it in the hesitant touches. The frame of the red haired boy unconsciously leaning into him as they're standing close together. The hands that grab his arm excitedly when a new clue is found in some ancient book, before quickly retreating out of his personal space again whilst the older boy blushes faintly.

II  
A young Gellert Grindelwald is absentmindedly staring out of the window as Bathilda Bagshot enters the kitchen. The woman shuffles about, gathering from the cupboard several ingredients for what seems to turn into bread. She watches the young Grindelwald from the corner of her eyes. The boy does not seem to notice her presence, still looking out out the window, and letting out the occasional sigh. Bathilda smiles to herself.  
'What's going on in that head of yours today?' she chuckles out loud. Gellert turns around calmly and looks at his great-aunt, but does not reply.  
'Well?'  
'Bathilda...'  
'Yes?'  
'I think Albus might have a slight crush on me.' The blonde admits with a slightly pained face. Bathilda chuckles once more.  
'Really, now?' she counters, with one eyebrow raised. 'I think he might be fully in love with you, young man.'  
The still smiling woman leans against the kitchen counter, eyes narrowed, as she observes Gellerts reaction to the last statement. The boy simply frowns and sighs again. 'That really doesn't make it any better.'  
Now it is Bathilda's turn to frown, her previously narrowed eyes going wide. 'Oh, you're not going to tell me you're in denial about your feelings, are you?.'  
Gellert slowly takes two steps in his aunts direction. 'And what exactly would my "feelings" be, according to you, then?'  
It is silent for a moment, as Bathilda looks at her nephew as if he were going to reveal any moment that his last utterance was, in fact, a joke. When it became clear that he wasn't going to do anything even remotely like it, she let out a long-suffering sigh. 'You are in love with Albus, as much as he is in love with you.'  
'I'm not in love with Albus Dumbledore,' denied Gellert. 'Never have been, never will be.'  
Bathilda turned back to her bread ingredients. 'Idiot.' she muttered, but a fond smile reached her eyes.

III  
Gellert is smiling. They did it. They actually managed to make a perfect blood pact. It wasn't like Gellert had doubted they could do it, but it still felt like an accomplishment he was proud of. Gellert is watching Albus while he smiles. The two are sitting in the barn; The one where they made the blood pact yesterday, and the one in which they have been meeting up every day since they met.  
Albus is smiling too. He still has the buzz of excitement form the blood pact surging through him, and he feels like running over green hilltops whilst shouting about his everlasting love at the top of his lungs. Instead of doing that, he's sitting in the barn, staring at a book, while trying to keep still. He manages to do so, with the exception of one finger tapping the edge of the book in a slow, steady rhythm. It's an interesting book, and any other day he would've finished it about an hour ago. But today he's fidgety, and he's only about two thirds in. The next chapter, however, sparks his attention.

Ten minutes later, and Albus Dumbledore is practically glowing. Well, not really, but he feels like he might be. He snaps his head up at his friend, Gellert, to find the younger boy watching him curiously. Albus coughs a little, colouring under the intense stare of his blood-bound friend. 'Yes?' inquires the friend, sensing that the older boy is about to explode in an excited ramble.  
It takes another two minutes for Albus to explain what he just read to Gellert, frantically pointing at paragraphs in the book on his lap, with Gellert bending over to follow along over the red-haired boy's shoulder. Then the German boy straightens and furrows his eyebrows. 'So what you're saying,' he begins, the picture of his smiling aunt at the back of his head, 'is that in order to form a perfect blood pact, like we did, the two participants need to be... soulmates?'  
Now there really is a glow emanating from the elder Dumbledore brother, who's nodding, eyes wide.  
'Hm.'  
"Hm?" says Albus. 'That's all you're gonna say about it?'  
Gellert turns on his heels, and begins slowly pacing around the barn, as his now slightly deflating friend warily follows his movements.  
'Look. Albus. Whoever wrote this doesn't know us.'  
'Okay...'  
'We're powerful, both of us, We can do great things, beautiful things, that others can only dream of ever archieving. We could do anything, if we just set out minds to it. We don't need such fairytale nonsense to make a blood pact, not even for a perfect one.'  
Albus pulls a face that's a mixture between his usual amusement at Gellert's arrogant claims, and a poorly hidden sadness. The glow fades to darkness. Gellert is facing away from his friend, a grim shadow falling over his face. He knows what he's done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mhhhm. OOC, much? Oh well, it's fun to write, and that's all I ask, really.


	2. IV - VI

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A stupid act of love. Aberforth isn't happy.

IV

A few days later their moods seem to have returned to the usual. They're stumbling through the ruins of a forgotten village, their feet catching behind loose rocks and bits of crumbled wall every so often. They're looking for one of the Deathly Hallows, but apart from that neither of the young men actually know what they're doing.

Albus is cold. The dust of long forgotten memories is stinging in his nose, and he feels like giving up for the day. Gellert doesn't agree with his older, more responsible friend though. 'HA!' The blonde yells triumphantly, then quickly quiets down as his exclamation dies out in the dead silence around them. The younger boy waits for his friend to arrive at his side, then points down at a gravestone, situated underneath an almost intact stone arch. 'Huh.' Albus says, feeling a bit disappointed that he didn't notice the grave when he walked past it a few minutes ago. The two young men crouch down to inspect the gravestone, taking care not to touch it. 'Do you think it will be hidden here?' Albus wants to ask, but he doesn't, cause he knows exactly what the answer will be.  
Gellert takes out his wand, points it at the grave, and clears it of the dust and loose gravel. A partly eroded inscription faces the light of day once more. "If you don't stop looking at your feet, you'll never reach the stars." The blonde reads out loud, then chuckles, and Albus swears he hears 'Cliché' coming out of his friends mouth immediately after. Gellert is about to stand up and walk away to look for other clues, but something suddenly clicks in the head of his red haired companion, who excitedly grabs his retreating friend's arm. The young Grindelwald looks questioningly at Albus, who doesn't look back at him, but is instead gazing at the stone arch above them. 'Stop looking at your feet,' he mutters softly.  
The inside of the arch is beautiful. Amaryllis, lilac, and Gum Cistus flowers are engraved in a stunning pattern, spiralling down to the centre, where a small stone is embedded in the arch. The stone they were looking for, right there above their heads, within arms length.  
Now Albus is the one taking out his wand. He points it at the stone and commands: 'Accio.' The stone does not budge. His blood-bound friend chuckles. 'Really?'  
'It was worth a try.' Albus frowns, defensive and a little bit embarrassed.  
It falls silent around them. Neither know what to do next. Albus lifts his right arm up to the stone, then hesitates, and the slightly taller boy next to him quickly grabs the stretched out arm. 'It's cursed. I'm sure of it.' the blonde hisses.  
'I know.'  
The left arm shoots out, five fingers curl themselves around the small stone, and pull.  
The body of a young, brilliant, but simultaneously dumb wizard collapses in on itself. A small, shining stone stays unbothered in a stone archway.  
A curse leaves the mouth of a younger but equally brilliant wizard, as he watches his friend crumble to the floor.

V  
Albus is sweating. He is also shaking, trashing around in the bedsheets, his eyes rolling behind his eyelids. Four worried eyes are watching over him. Two belong to to a blonde German, the other two belong to a young wizard with a remarkable similarity to Albus.  
'This is all your fault' Aberforth accuses.  
'It is not.'  
'Explain to me how it isn't your fault even though you are the one who dragged him into these stupid quests?'  
'Listen. I didn't drag him into anything. He chose to go along. He wanted to find these Hallows as much as I wanted to! He was the one who found the clue that sent us to that ruin in the first place. You can accuse me of a lot of things, but Albus knew what he was doing, and he knew the risks he was taking. So tell me, how exactly is it my fault indeed that he touched an object of which he knew it was cursed? Besides, who warned him that is was cursed? Who told him NOT to touch the thing? Not you, was it?'  
'Okay, listen, don't try and play the saint now, Grindelwald. Wanted to find the damned Hallows too, huh? we both know he only follows you like a lost puppy because he's blinded by love. How you managed that I'll never understand, but you've deluded him, and you're taking advantage of it!'  
At this point the two young men were dangerously close to each other, spitting in each others faces with their hands on their wands, ready to strike.  
'HHHHHHHHHH' Albus wheezes on the bed next to them. His foot kicks the thigh of his younger brother, as his fingers curl themselves over Gellert's ring finger and squeeze. The two opposing wizards scuttle away from each other, hand slowly leaving their wands.  
Gellert hunches his shoulder, and turns his back on Aberforth and his brother, feeling uneasy, and slightly guilty despite the furious speech he hurled at his friends brother. A new quest awaits him. This time the life of his only friend depends on it.

VI  
Gellert is skimming through a book as fast as he can. He is joined at the kitchen table by his aunt Bathilda, and a freshly baked bread, which stands forgotten to the side. A big pile of still unsearched books is lying between the two, multiple piles of searched, and proven to be useless, books are scattered on the floor next to their feet. They're looking for a counter-curse and they need it quick. Albus is at his home, with his brother Aberforth watching over him, but his time is running out fast. Bathilda had to come and take a look, and the elder witch concluded the cursed boy might not reach overmorrow.  
Ms Bagshot concluded upon investigating Albus and the symptoms he was showing that they needed a mixture of specific flowers to go with the counter-curse in order to save the young wizard, so Gellert is going through books upon books of flower indexes to figure out which ones. Bathilda herself has made significant progress in finding the right counter-curse, when her nephew jumps up, and abruptly leaves the room. He comes back with a bag and a coat on, looks at his aunt, who gives him a nod, and apparates to a location unknown to Bathilda. For a second she stares at the now empty spot where young Gellert disappeared, then focuses back on the book she's holding.

Gellert Grindelwald apparates into a small muggle town, and cautiously looks around to see if anyone spotted him. Upon concluding that no one had, he makes his way to a flowerstall on the corner of a street. He explains to the flower lady what he needs, who in her turn frowns at him.  
'My boy, those flowers don't go together at all! You'd be much better off buying some yellow roses, they signify friendship, you see. As you did say they were for a friend.'  
'I'm sorry ma'am, but I need the specific flowers that I asked for. Please, I don't have much time.'  
'Not much time? Are they an apology, then? You did pick purple hyacinth, after all. But in that case you don't want to match them with convolvulus, you see! That would bring in a sense of uncertainty about your apology. I've got some beautiful Wisteria flowers in today, they might do a much better job at conveying your message than that Convulvulus will do. Would you like that, dear?'  
The blonde German is getting desperate.  
'Oh, Merlin. Okay. Listen woman, I need, do you hear me, need, the specific flowers I asked for, and I don't have much more time to waste, so if you could please just- just sell them to me. Look, I'll pay extra- I don't care -just, just give the flowers.'  
'Well... If you insist-'  
'I do!'  
'-then I could give them to you. I'm afraid I don't have Persicaria, though. They're quite hard to get in this country'  
Now sweat was starting to break out.  
'Okay. Please sell me the others. Now, could you please tell me where I could find persicaria flowers myself?'  
The flower lady laughs, and exchanges the flowers for money. 'They are native to very high mountains. I doubt you could get there, as you seem to be in a right hurry... Oh.'  
The curious young man had ran off, flowers tucked underneath his arm.

It is freezing on the outside, but it is freezing on the inside of Gellert Grindelwald as well. The cold sense of fear had started in his fingertips, but with every moment passing it crawls closer to his chest. Gellert is trying to find a path through a mountain valley, in order to reach a patch of persicaria flowers. A harsh wind is nearly blowing him off his feet, and his nose has gone red from the cold. The young man attempts to pull his collar up higher, but it doesn't help as he has been doing that every other minute. His eyes are scanning the surroundings for the tell-tale pink-red colour of the flower he's looking for, but his mind is somewhere else. Gellert Grindelwald is in deep thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up: idiot in love realises his mistakes.


	3. VI - VII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'I love you,' Albus says. Gellert kisses him as (if that's) an answer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part VI continues here. The reason it took so long is because I, an idiot, decided it would be fun to work on chapter 5, when 3 and 4 haven't even been written yet. The other reason is that I'm not actually a fanfic writer. I'm not a writer at all, and I don’t know for sure what spurred me to start this, but I have got zero experience writing, and thus it is a slow process.

He has decided he can't lose Albus. And when Gellert Grindelwald decides something, he will work until it either comes true or he dies. And he has also decided that he's not going to die anytime soon, so there's that. 'Fool-proof.' he thinks, and then 'Wait- no. That still means dying is an option. If I decide not to die, and it doesn't come true then I double die.'

The German shakes his head. Albus. This was about Albus. His lovely friend Albus, who is way too young, too brilliant and too pretty to die. But mostly brilliant. He likes Albus, because Albus matches his intelligence. Because Albus is the only one who would agree to go searching for Hallows with him, and be good at it instead of being a burden. Because Albus is his only friend, and the only one who fully understands him. Because Albus doesn't judge him the way others do. He likes Albus, because he gladly reads all the books, and searches for clues so that Gellert doesn't have to bother himself. He needs Albus because Albus will always sacrifice himself first, and never Gellert. That much has been proven.  
He likes him because he always smiles at Gellert in a way that makes his whole face light up. He likes him because the only comment he ever made about Gellert's mismatched eyes was a positive one, and the German had never felt more confident in his life than in that moment.  
Once more, the picture of his smiling aunt is at the back of his head.

He hates Albus because Albus will always sacrifice himself first, and never Gellert. That much has been proven.  
He hates Albus because the idea of Albus having another close friend fills him with an indescribable dread.  
He hates Albus because he knows that if his friend ever dies, he himself won't be able to move anymore. That the cold that's creeping into his chest at the moment will never leave again if that happens. Because Albus' welfare is his weakness.

He loves Albus, because he couldn't imagine being by someone else's side.

He's standing on it! Oh. He's standing on the flowers he's looking for.

VII  
The three of them are standing around the bed on which Albus lies. Gellert is holding a small dish with a mixture of flower petals on it, Bathilda is holding an ancient book, with lots of notes written in the margins, and Aberforth is fidgeting with the hem of his clothing. Albus is lying still. When he walked in, Gellert had thought for a moment that he was too late.  
Bathilda is starting the counter-curse. She picks up petals from the dish and lays them down in a complicated pattern on the bed. Then she pulls out her wand and starts a long chant of words in an old, almost forgotten, language. Silence follows. Albus stirs and lets out a soft mumble among the lines of "Mhfph, Gell, de stow"  
'He'll be fine now' Bathilda says softly. She faces Aberforth. 'Do you want some tea, young man? You look like you could use some lovely tea.' 'What, no-' 'Yes you do, come along.' The woman pushes Aberforth out of the room, turning her head over her shoulder to shoot Gellert a look that Gellert interprets as 'You better be good to that poor Dumbledore boy'.

Then Gellert is kneeling besides the bed, hesitantly reaching out with one hand, which falls upon the auburn hair of his... Friend? Brother? L-  
The Gryffindor mumbles some more, and then Gellert is suddenly gazing into a pair of blazing blue eyes. 'Gellert? That you?' Gellert hums affirmation, his hand now slowly combing through strands of auburn. 'What are... What are you doing.' 'I'm happy to have you back with me.' Of all things Gellert had said to Albus, ever since they met, that had to one of the most honest truths. And he isn't done yet. 'We're back together, as we should be, and I'm glad. Now we can go back to being you and me. Against the rest of the world.'  
'You mean,' Albus hesitates, 'close as brothers?'  
Gellert picks up Albus' hand, holding it in his.  
'I think I might want us to be closer than that.'  
Albus laughs, but it doesn't reach his eyes.  
'Am I dead?'  
' _What_.'  
'I mean, you're making sentimental speeches, and telling me exactly what I've wanted to hear ever since I met you. This can't be real, I must have died.'  
'First of all,' Gellert frowns, 'it _is_ real. You're alive. Second of all, if you were dead, that would mean I have failed you. I will never fail you. So, not dead.'  
'More sentimental speeches?' Albus is now trying to sit up straight in the bed, which is proving to be difficult with Gellert trying to push him down again.  
'Stop doing that, I'm not that weak, I can sit, look, how can you prove to me that this is real, and that I'm not dead?'  
It is silent again, the older wizard is looking up expectantly at the younger, who's thoughts are going at full speed.

Then Gellert comes closer, until he's gazing into Albus' heavily lidded eyes. The older boy slowly parts his mouth, and hitches in a shaky breath. 'Gel, what-' Gellert presses his lips to the slightly parted ones, one hand coming up to cradle Albus' face, the other still holding onto his hand. Albus' eyes go wide, Gellert scrunches his shut, then moves back. He stays still for a second, then sucks in a breath, eyes still closed.  
They sit. Albus, wide eyed, trying to let the strange events sink in. And Gellert, still refusing to open his eyes. Their hands are still linked. Scars touching.  
Albus lightly squeezes their locked hands. Gellert dares to open his eyes, but lets his gaze fall upon their hands, not looking Albus in the eye.  
'Well,' Albus says.  
'Well?'  
'That certainly wasn't something my mind could come up with.'  
'What.' Now Gellert is looking at Albus, eyebrows wrinkled. 'But, I thought, she said-'  
'I'm just kidding. I definitely thought about that before.'  
'...Oh.'  
'But it never felt that real.'  
Then, they are both smiling. 'Well, now that you've established that this is real, can we do that again?' Gellert proposes, and he's about to lean in again, when Albus' hand on his chest pushes him back. 'Hold on. If I'm not dead, did you save me?'  
'Actually it was mostly Bathilda.... But yes I totally saved you, I'm the best, _now kiss me_.'  
Albus doesn't kiss him. He just smiles at Gellert, crinkles in the corners of his eyes. 'I love you,' Albus says. Gellert kisses him as an answer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up we're moving the story to the future. CoG has passed. Newt had given Albus the vial containing the blood from the blood pact. Stay tuned.


	4. VIII - X

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'Well, one of us had to,' Grindelwald hisses.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello muggles, wizards, house elves, and goblins. Sorry for the long wait. I got stuck and then I got busy with other stuff, and well. Anyways, here I am again. Second to last chapter, this story is coming to an end.

VIII  
He is pacing up and down his hideout in Paris, black boots tapping on the wooden floor in a somewhat unsteady rhythm. 'Just because he's not insipid like everyone around him, doesn't mean I'm in love.' Vinda Rosier is leaning in the doorway, a doubtful look sliding across her face. 'And yet the vial has enough value to you, that you are willing to wager your life on getting it back.' She says slowly, with a tinge of hesitance.  
'I am not wagering my life on anything. My only match is Dumbledore, and he can't fight me as long as the blood pact stays intact. Which is why I need it back, and fast. If he manages to destroy it, I am in trouble.'  
'You think he'll destroy it?'  
Grindelwald huffs. 'Why wouldn't he destroy it? It's in his favour to destroy the pact, if he ever wants to beat me.'  
'...Maybe. But I don't think he's forgotten the... history, so to say, that you two share.'  
Grindelwald is silent. He glares at the daring woman, standing a few meters away from him. She reminds him of aunt Bathilda. The way she dares to defy his words, and the amused smile she pulls when he tries to convince her his emotions for Albus have passed years ago.  
Vinda strides over until she's standing in front of her leader. 'What will you do if you encounter Dumbledore himself while you're in Hogwarts?' she wonders.  
'When.'  
'Excuse-moi?'  
' _When_ I'll encounter Dumbledore. I am going to retrieve that vial, and where else would it be than with Dumbledore himself?'  
Vinda frowns. 'Are you sure it'll be fine?'  
She's thrown a menacing glare. 'Why, are you doubting me?'  
'Let's get out of here before the ministry finds us.'  
Grindelwald opens his mouth, but she has disappeared with a crack.

IX  
Once again, Albus Dumbledore is standing before a cloak-covered mirror. Tea with Newt had gone by mostly silent, both of the attendees lost in their own thoughts. One thinking over the past, the other trying to find a solution for the future. Both had left without answers.  
As soon as Newt had stepped out of the school, Albus made a visit to the restricted area of the Hogwarts library, frantically pulling out several books, before stuffing them back in their places again. After over an hour of wandering, he had returned to his office with one book, and went to bed.  
That book was now lying open on the floor in front of the mirror, multiple bookmarks stuck in different places. On top of the book lies a small, silver vial.

Albus has been pacing the room for at least half a day, picking up the book, vial, or both, before placing them back on the floor again. He has also alternated between pulling the cover from the mirror, and putting it back up again, every time desperately hoping that the blonde figure would not appear this time, despite knowing deep in his heart that more false hope than that does not exist. He pulls at the sheet, and the mirror is bared again. Two mismatched eyes instantly find his. But then, the mismatched pair breaks eye contact to gaze up and down Albus' physique, and the older wizard startles. That's new.  
Mirror-Grindelwald is walking now. Albus follows the dark lord's movements, as the blonde inches closer to mirror-Albus, until he's standing right behind him. Albus feels the Germans soft breath in his neck.

Albus twirls around fast, hair swooping through the air. Gellert Grindelwald lets out an amused huff. 'What, you thought I was only in the mirror? Does that mean you always see me in the mirror, Albus?' He still pronounces Albus' name the same way he used to do when they were younger; like the soft gasp someone makes when completely captivated by a stunning piece of art, and it sets goosebumps all over Albus' skin. A hand reaches out, and Albus stumbles backwards. 'Don't touch me.'  
'Oh?' Grindelwald muses. 'Angry at me? I couldn't say that's fair, considering _you_ were the one to abandon our cause.'  
'Our "cause" was wrong. I should've abandoned it a lot earlier than I did. Maybe if I had done so, a lot of things would never have happened.'  
'So it's regret, then? Tell me, Al,-'  
'Don't call me that!'  
'- what do you regret? Just the cause? Or maybe the pact too?' The blonde glances at the vial and the book. 'Trying to break it, are you? So, what else do you regret? Us?'  
'Yes,' Albus says, 'yes,' and Gellert swallows thickly.  
The elder Dumbledore steps forward, until he's standing in front of his ex-lover again.  
'I regret ever meeting you.' Albus accuses, then grabs Gellert's tie, yanks it towards him, and crashes their lips together. Gellert's hands come up to tangle themselves into Albus' hair, but the Hogwarts professor is already pulling back, and with a few strides he's out of the room, and into the halls of Hogwarts, door slamming behind him, leaving Gellert Grindelwald with his hands awkwardly hanging mid-air, standing in front of a mirror that shows an auburn haired man still between his fingertips.

X  
Gellert Grindelwald walks into the Dumbledore household, huddled in a big warm coat, a travel bag slung over his shoulders, to find Albus and his brother Aberforth standing in the living room, discussing something with low voices. As soon as he sets foot into the room, Albus looks up, a guilty look playing on his features. 'Gellert.' Behind the two brothers, Ariana looks up from her spot in a corner of the room, knitting a long piece resembling a scarf.

Gellert strides over to Albus. 'Al, why aren't you packed and ready to go yet? It's gonna be a long trip, not really something for last minute packing.'  
Aberforth stuffs himself in between Albus and Gellert, wand in hand, pointing it at Gellert. 'He can't go with you.'  
'He can't go with me? Sorry, but last time I checked Albus was old enough to make his own decisions, instead of having to let his younger brother decide for him. So listen, boy. You can either shut your mouth, or start singing a dirge for yourself. Albus, we're going, c'mon, where's your coat?'  
The German starts retreating his steps, and out of the Dumbledore household, but stops when he notices his friend hasn't moved a toe.  
'Albus?'  
'Gel, I can't- I can't go. I have... Responsibilities.' His eyes flicker to young Ariana.  
'But Al, we decided we would leave today. Are you... Are you abandoning the greater good?'  
'No, never! But... I- I can't go Gel. I can't.'  
Gellert is getting angry. 'Look, Al, this might be out only chance at getting that cloak! You know what? Fine. If you're not going, then I'm going alone. Goodbye.'  
He turns around to leave, as Albus leaps forward, grabbing his arm and trying to pull him back in the house.  
'No, wait! You can't just leave me.'  
The younger friend stares at him blankly.  
'Please.' Albus whispers wide eyed.  
The is no reaction.  
'I love you.'  
Silence.

Albus grabbles in his pocket, tangling his fingers in a small, silver chain and pulls out a familiar looking vial. 'Doesn't this mean anything to you?!' He's dangling the blood pact in front of Gellert's face, then shoves it in his lover's hands. 'Take that. Look at it, feel it, and tell me you remember why we made this pact!'  
'Because we can't allow to fight each other if we want to get the Hallows.' Gellert, turnes the vial over in his hand, then lets it sink into his waistcoat pocket.  
'No!' Albus' eyes are wild. 'It's because we're soulmates. You know that, TELL ME YOU KNOW THAT?' He is pleading now, hands blindly grabbling his love's coat. 'You love me, please tell me you love me.'  
Gellert is looking at Albus with a mixture between sadness and pain. 'Al, I...'  
'He doesn't love you.'  
Aberforth walks up to Gellert, pointing his wand at him once more. 'You don't love him. I don't believe you love him!'  
'Well, one of us had to,' Grindelwald hisses.

A flash.  
The curse dies out on Gellert's counter. Then more flashes follow, Aberforth attacking Gellert, and vice versa, Albus screaming at them to stop.  
Gellert fires at Aberforth, the younger Dumbledore's shielding spell not fast enough. But Albus is. Gellert points his wand at Albus to cast an expelliarmus spell, but thinks the better of it.  
Aberforth, however, is back in the game, and once more spells fly around, now with Albus as a third contestant.  
'Stop. Please stop.' The voice of a woman says from the corner of the room. No one hears.  
Then, Grindelwald is firing a spell at Albus, the bright line zapping through the air like lightning. Before Albus can lift his want to protect himself, the spell backfires. Gellert throws up a shielding spell the second before his own spell hits him in the face. The spell collapses into the shield, and the ground shakes.  
Things shatter in the house, falling off shelves and out of cupboards. Walls tremble. The room is filled with dust.  
A terrible silence fills the room, as the three of them watch dust particles settle down.

Ariana Dumbledore is on the floor.  
Gellert Grindelwald runs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Albus is really putting the Dumb in Dumbledore for leaving that vial with Gellert.


	5. XI -XII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Grindelwald walks in, Albus Dumbledore is sitting in a comfy chair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And then, finally, the big conclusion.

XI  
He shivers, then crouches down to pick up the vial, and takes the book too, on a whim, one of the bookmarks fluttering to the floor. "Breaking One Of Your Own" says the chapter on which the book is opened. Gellert turns the book over in his hands. "Bloodpacts" says the front cover. _'Right.'_ he thinks _'Well, that's clear.'_ and he attempts to swallow down the weird feeling that has risen up again.

A few pages of the book later, and Gellert Grindelwald knows how to destroy a bloodpact. It's a tedious ritual, which includes multiple spells, some gold, a single broken straw, butterfly weed, and some blood from all the parties that took place in the blood pact that has to be broken. "If blood for all parties can't be obtained," it reads in the end notes, "Unicorn blood will suffice."  
Gellert's hands are trembling slightly. All of the ingredients mentioned in the book were obtainable for Albus, one way or another. _So why hadn't he broken the blood pact by now?_ He lets out a long, tired, sigh, places the vial in his pocket, then picks up the bookmark from the floor, puts it in between the pages, and shuts the book.  
With the book in hand he wanders over, until he's standing in front of the mirror. Expecting to see himself ruling the world with all the Hallows in his grasp, his breath hitches when he finds himself without any of that. Instead, Mirror-Gellert is holding a mirror-Albus in his arms, and the auburn man looks... Happy. There is no other word to describe the facial expression on the mirror. The vial is visibly tucked in Albus' pocket, and the book non-mirror-Gellert is currently holding is nowhere in sight in the mirror. Gellert's mouth suddenly goes dry, and he finds himself unable to move, so he just keeps standing there, eyes focused on the scene in the mirror.  
'Albus.'  
It's a loud whisper in the silence of the room. The book hits the floor with a thud. Grindelwald manages to rip his eyes away from the prefect pane of glass, and turns on his heels, boots squeaking. He has to find Albus. He starts to make his way out of the room, leaving the mirror behind, swiftly snatching the book along with him.

XII  
When Grindelwald walks in, Albus Dumbledore is sitting in a comfy chair. The man himself, however, seems to be as far from comfortable as possible. The first thing Gellert notices, is that tears have now rolled down his former lover's cheeks. The second thing he notices is that Albus looks panicked, and lastly he notices that Albus does, in fact, not notice. That is to say, doesn't notice Gellert standing in the doorway, looking at him.

Albus' hands are shaking, and he's muttering something among the lines of "What have I done!?", as the shadow of a man falls over him. He closes his eyes, refusing to look at the man hovering over him, as if it doesn't exist if he can't see the evidence. The man stands close, but in a way that makes sure they're not touching. Albus feels cold. He's still tightly squeezing his eyelids shut, waiting for something to happen, but the man next to him stands still as a statue, and the room is silent enough for the both of them to hear Albus' ragged breathing. Then there is finally movement. The sound of breathing is accompanied by the sound of a rustling coat, and then a soft tap as a small item is being put down on a side table on the right of the lounge chair Albus is sitting in. The shaky wizard dares to take a peak.

The precious vial, containing the blood of their blood pact, is standing on the side table. The Hogwarts professor cautiously reaches out, still expecting something to happen, then his fingers are one by one curling around the vial, and before he knows it the tiny vase-shaped thing is safely stuffed back into the pocket of his waistcoat. With a bit of confidence returned to him, he slowly turns his head to find a pale hand hovering by his arm.  
_Be brave._ He thinks to himself. _Come on, you're a Gryffindor, aren't you?_   
When he looks up at the Dark Lord of the century, he expects to find his 'enemy' to be looking straight back at him, but the mismatched eyes are focused on his arm, Gellert's hand mere centimetres away from touching him. The hand makes contact, and a tremor goes through both bodies. The hand quickly pulls back. 'Sorry.'  
Albus is trying to get a hold of his old friend's gaze, but he's having a difficult time doing so. 'What did you say?'  
A huff, and with a few strides Grindelwald is at the other end of the room, where a bookshelf stands, back facing toward a tired wizard in a lounge chair. 'You told me not to touch you.' The big black coat across the room explains, cunningly avoiding the question.  
'And you, of course, listen to the things I say.'  
'No need for sarcasm.'  
The coat turns around, and something is gleaming in the two of eyes that are finally meeting Albus'.  
Albus is waiting. He feels slightly stronger now, with a vial in his pocket, warmth spreading from his arm through his body, and the sight of a powerful wizard with stiff shoulders and a seemingly hanging head. His face is dry again.  
'Alright.' Gellert says, barely above a whisper. 'Have it your way.'  
The blonde puts the book about bloodpacts in the bookshelf situated behind him, and Albus only then notices the book has been in Grindelwalds hand all that time, and unconsciously glides his hand over his waistcoat pocket to check if it is still safely tucked in there.  
The Dark Lord leans his back against the bookshelves for support, and start to apologise.  
For the hurt he's caused to the wizarding world.  
For the loss of Ariana.  
For running away like a coward afterwards.  
For dragging Albus along in his ideologies.  
For all the pain, and all the lies.  
And then, for being so oblivious to what he really wanted all along.  
'Albus.' he whispers, like the desperate prayer of an atheist who's only hope is a lowercase-G-god that he doesn't believe in. 'Albus.'

And Albus hauls himself out of the chair, before walking up to a blonde, broken, dark wizard, with watery eyes full of tears that he's unwilling to let go of. 'You know an apology is not going to just, fix everything with the snap of your fingers, right? It's going to take time. Lots of time, and lots of actions that prove that you actually meant any of the things you just said.' He's met with a nod, and slightly unfocused eyes, and a hand reaching out again, but this time not touching. So he takes the hand, and they're back to the beginning.

Handpalm against handpalm. Lips finding lips. A hand tangles in auburn hair.

But this time, nobody runs or denies.

And this time, there is no blood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well. That was it I suppose. I've finished my first fanfic ever! Strange feeling...  
> Let me know what you think! And thank you for reading x  
> [EDIT] GUYS GUYS I AM AN IDIOT! I had planned for Gellert to say 'I Love You' in the end. Because he didn't do so in Chapter 3 (he kissed Albus instead of answering) and he didn't do so in chapter four (He starts saying "Albus, I..." But Aberforth interrupts him) so I had planned for him to say it in this chapter but I got carried away. So much for clever schemes...


	6. Afterword

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Afterword. An insight in the fic, and meanings behind things explained.

_**This is not a chapter, or an epilogue. Sorry.** _

I'd like to share a few facts on this work, that people might not have noticed.

\--

First of all, let's talk flowers. I like using flower language, and this fic is no exception of that. **Here's a list of the flower meanigs hidden in this work:**

_The flowers on the arch:_

Amaryllis: Blood love 

~~(Best fitting thing for their relationship I've ever seen)~~

Lilac: First love / I have confidence in you. 

~~(I went more for the first meaning here)~~

Gum Cistus: I shall die tomorrow 

~~("Bathilda had to come and take a look, and the elder witch concluded the cursed boy might not reach overmorrow." - Chapter 2, Part VI)~~

__

_The flowers needed for the counter-curse:_

Purple hyacinth: please forgive me 

Persicaria: restauration 

Salt Cedar Tamarisk: crime/guilt 

Convolvulus: uncertainty/bonds 

_The flowers the flower lady talks about:_

Yellow Roses: friendship 

Wisteria: steadfast 

_Flowers needed to undo a blood pact:_

A single broken straw: rupture of contract / broken agreement. 

Butterfly weed: let me go 

\--

Alright. Enough flower talk, eh?

**Have another fact: I am an idiot. Here's why:**

I had planned for Gellert to say 'I Love You' in the end. Because he didn't do so in Chapter 3 (he kissed Albus instead of answering) and he didn't do so in chapter four (He starts saying "Albus, I..." But Aberforth interrupts him) so I had planned for him to say it in the last chapter but I got carried away. So much for clever schemes...

\--

Talking about clever, **I did make a reference in part IV to part I:**

The hands that grabs his arm excitedly (when a new clue is found in some ancient book, before quickly retreating out of his personal space again whilst the older boy blushes faintly.) 

> Chapter One, Part I 

(Gellert is about to stand up and walk away to look for other clues, but something suddenly clicks in the head of his) red haired companion, who excitedly grabs his retreating friend's arm. 

> Chapter Two, Part IV

\--

And last, but definitely not least: **Did you know this fic has an unreliable narrator?** I might tell you in the story what characters feel or think, but that doesn't mean they actaully feel or think like that. Take Albus; Would he be so stupid that he'd run out and leave Gellert behind with the vial? Probably not. Let me explain:

In the second part of the fic, Albus is fighting a psychological fight with Gellert. The doubt and fear that are mentioned in the text are real, but they're fear for the failure of his plan, rather than fear for the reasons mentioned in the fic. 

Albus leaves Gellert with the vial and book on purpose. And in front of the bared mirror of course. Leaving the book and vial show to Gellert that he could have destroyed the pact, but he didn't, meaning there's still a posibillity Albus loves him, and they can still have a life together. The kiss he drags Gellert into is there to strengthen this point. 

By having Gellert see himself in the mirror, he's hoping Gellert sees his true desires, and leaves his 'cause' behind. The whole drama fuss is simply there to give him a reason to storm out and leave Gellert behind with the objects. 

Albus then waits for Gellert to find him, acting like he's tormented to soften up the German a bit. (Although there's not much pretending needed, he really is anxious, and he really is hurt over what happened in the past) 

With this psychological fight, he's trying to give Gellert one last chance. If the dark lord fails, and returns to his cause, Albus will have to take him down. 

Gellert does, however, not fail, and Albus is all too happy to accept his apologies. 

The plan works, Albus and Gellert are a thing again, and the wizarding world is saved. A positive ending for all. 

\--

_**Well. I just had to get that off my chest. I feel better now!** _

_**And again, thank you for reading!** _

_**With love, Taire x** _


End file.
